Chavez Still Battling Cancer in Late 2012

In Dec. 2012, Chavez informed the nation on television that he needed another operation for cancer. Before the surgery, he named Nicolas Maduro, the vice president, his successor should Chavez be unable to lead his country in the future. According to Ernesto Villegas, Venezuela's information minister, the surgery was performed in Havana on December 11 and lasted for more than six hours. He said that Chavez's recovery from the surgery was "progressive and favorable."

The day after Chavez's surgery, Vice President Maduro confirmed that Chavez's condition was serious and asked the country to prepare for "hard, complex and difficult days." Chavez would begin his next six-year term as president on Jan. 10, 2013. If he steps down, new elections would take place.